At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a team to create foundational infrastructure and define API contracts.
- Company: Join Swap, the AI-native platform revolutionising global commerce.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work environment, and opportunities for growth.
- Other info: Dynamic role with a focus on collaboration and creativity.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced, innovative tech space.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in backend engineering and experience leading teams.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
About Swap
Swap is the infrastructure behind modern agentic commerce. The only AI-native platform connecting backend operations with a forward-thinking storefront experience. Built for brands that want to sell anything — anywhere, Swap centralises global operations, powers intelligent workflows, and unlocks margin-protecting decisions with real-time data and capability. Our products span cross-border, tax, returns, demand planning, and our next-generation agentic storefront, giving merchants full transparency and the ability to act with confidence. At Swap, we're building a culture that values clarity, creativity, and shared ownership as we redefine how global commerce works.
About the Role
We are looking for a Team Lead to found and lead the newly formed Unified Domain Team within our Enablement Group. This is a greenfield, high-leverage role: you will define and drive adoption of Swap's canonical domain entities and API contracts across the entire engineering organisation. This team exists to solve a real and growing problem — every new partner or market integration today requires bespoke, duplicated engineering effort. You will eliminate that tax by establishing shared, stable, and versioned domain structures that product teams can build on with confidence. The ideal candidate is both a technical leader and a systems thinker who thrives in ambiguous, cross-cutting work and knows how to ship pragmatically without sacrificing long-term integrity. This is a hands-on role (~50% coding initially) with people leadership responsibilities.
Responsibilities
- Lead a small, focused team with the autonomy and clarity to build foundational infrastructure.
- Define, publish, and version canonical domain models for Swap's core entities.
- Own the delivery of schemas and OpenAPI definitions.
- Establish and maintain a lightweight governance pipeline: review process, ownership model, versioning policy, and deprecation strategy.
- Translating software requirements into working, high-performance software.
- Playing a key role in architectural and design decisions, building toward efficient architecture.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams; work closely with product managers, and other engineers and team leads to gather requirements and translate them into technical specifications.
- Hire, mentor, and grow the team as scope expands.
Requirements
- Proven experience leading or tech-leading an engineering team, including cross-functional collaboration and ownership of architectural decisions.
- 5+ years of backend or full-stack engineering experience, with strong TypeScript/JavaScript and Node.js skills.
- Experience designing versioned APIs (REST/OpenAPI and/or GraphQL with schema governance).
- Experience working in platform or infrastructure engineering roles — comfortable with work whose primary customer is other engineers.
- Ability to navigate ambiguity: you can ship a pragmatic V0, articulate why it's the right trade-off, and iterate toward a stronger long-term model.
- Excellent communication skills — you can translate complex technical standards into clear guidance for product engineers.
- Experience with eCommerce systems, partner integrations, or multi-tenant platforms is a strong plus.
- Passion for systems that outlast individuals — documentation, ownership, and tooling are first-class concerns for you.
- A BSc in Computer Science or Mathematics (or equivalent experience).
- Enjoy working in a fast paced, high-growth environment.
Unified Domain Platform Lead - API & Governance employer: Swap
At Swap, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of clarity, creativity, and shared ownership. Our dynamic work environment encourages innovation and collaboration, providing employees with ample opportunities for professional growth and development. Located in a fast-paced, high-growth sector, we offer competitive benefits and the chance to make a meaningful impact as we redefine global commerce.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Unified Domain Platform Lead - API & Governance
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at events. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If you’ve got a portfolio or side projects, make sure to share them during interviews. It’s a great way to demonstrate your expertise and passion.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the unexpected! Brush up on common technical questions and be ready to discuss your past projects. We want to see how you think and solve problems on the spot.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive!
We think you need these skills to ace Unified Domain Platform Lead - API & Governance
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Unified Domain Platform Lead role. Highlight your backend or full-stack engineering experience, especially with TypeScript/JavaScript and Node.js, to catch our eye!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you're passionate about leading a team in a greenfield project. Share specific examples of how you've navigated ambiguity and made architectural decisions in your past roles.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:We want to see how you've led teams before! Include examples of mentoring or growing a team, and how you’ve collaborated with cross-functional teams to deliver successful projects.
Apply Through Our Website:For the best chance of getting noticed, apply directly through our website. It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it reaches the right people!
How to prepare for a job interview at Swap
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your TypeScript, JavaScript, and Node.js skills. Be ready to discuss your past experiences leading engineering teams and how you've tackled architectural decisions. Swap is looking for someone who can navigate ambiguity, so prepare examples of how you've shipped pragmatic solutions in the past.
✨Understand the Role
Familiarise yourself with the concept of canonical domain models and API contracts. Think about how you would approach establishing a governance pipeline and what that means for cross-functional collaboration. Being able to articulate your vision for this role will show that you're not just interested in the job, but also in shaping its future.
✨Show Your Leadership Skills
Since this role involves leading a team, be prepared to discuss your leadership style. Share examples of how you've mentored others and fostered a collaborative environment. Highlight your experience in hiring and growing teams, as this will demonstrate your commitment to building a strong foundation for the Unified Domain Team.
✨Communicate Clearly
Excellent communication is key at Swap. Practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple terms, as you'll need to translate these for product engineers. During the interview, focus on clarity and ensure you convey your ideas effectively, showing that you can bridge the gap between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
